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What Is Animation Sketching & Why You Need to Do It!

ben marvazi 2020

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Animation sketching is a process and an exercise that can be used to help you understand how motion works and how it affects your animations. It's also a great way to practice creating any movement with the illustrations that compose your animations.

Animation sketches are quick, simple drawings that will help you learn how things move in space and time by getting you familiar with the concept of using keyframes. Let's learn what animation sketches are and why every animator needs to do it in this blog post!

What is Animation Sketching?

a bird animation sketch but animated

GIF via GIPHY

As simple as it is, animation sketching is drawing out scenes from your idealized animation. An animator draws out a frame of movement and tries to sketch how it looks in a still illustration. Pretend the final animation is finished, pause a frame during movement, and that paused frame is what you're supposed to sketch. Except, you haven't done the animation just yet, you're just conceptualizing it!

Animation sketching is a great way to improve your animation skills. It's also a way to quickly and easily make your ideas visible, get feedback on them, and practice telling stories with pictures.

Animation sketching is an essential skill for animators because it allows you to quickly communicate how you want something animated without having to spend hours in front of the computer drawing frames by hand just to show an idea.

Why is it Called "Animation Sketching"?

shin chan wondering why it's called animation sketching

GIF by Shin Chan Official via GIPHY

Animation sketching is a way to get your ideas down quickly. Animation is all about the illusion of movement, and sketching is a great way to practice drawing in motion.

If you're interested in drawing characters or creating animated films, animation sketching will help you develop strong character designs that are easy to draw out on paper and animate later on.

Animation sketching is also a great way to practice your drawing skills and get better at different styles of animation through illustration.

The Benefits of Animation Sketching

you may not see the benefits of animation sketching just yet

GIF by Palesa via GIPHY

Animation sketching is the process of creating rough drawings (usually by hand) that illustrate the movement and timing of an animation. It's a great way to get a sense of your ideas before you invest time in animating them, and it can also help you work out any kinks in your story before you commit yourself to full production.

You'll be able to see your ideas come alive--literally! Animation sketches give you a physical representation of what an animated piece might look like, which makes it easier for others to understand what they see on the page or screen.

This makes feedback easier because everyone has something concrete from which they can provide feedback based on their own experience or expertise (elements like character design or timing).

How to Practice Animation Sketching

animation sketch of a clock

GIF via GIPHY

To practice animation sketching, you need to draw as often as possible. It's good to have a variety of mediums on hand so that you can keep things interesting and work on different techniques. When it comes time to sketch, try drawing in different styles or styles you're unfamiliar with--it will help build up your skills!

Drawing from life is also an excellent way to get better at animation sketching. Try drawing people who are moving around--this will help improve your ability to capture gestures and movement accurately in your drawings. You might want even want to try drawing yourself in motion so that when it comes time for animation, you'll know exactly how something should look based on how it moves through space (and why).

Drawing from imagination is another great way for artists like us who aren't professional animators yet but want some practice before starting out with real projects (like those we might find ourselves working on soon!).

When doing this kind of practice work though - keep in mind: don't just copy what someone else has already done because then all their ideas about how something should be portrayed visually would still influence yours without realizing it; instead stay focused only upon what information is coming directly through experience rather than any outside sources such as books written by others etcetera...

The Importance of Good Sketching for Animators

good animation sketching is important like this cute pooting pug

GIF by Puglie Pug via GIPHY

Animation sketching is an important part of the animation process. It is a crucial step that helps you to visualize your ideas and figure out how to make them come alive on screen.

Good sketching allows you to explore different options for characters, props and backgrounds before committing anything to paper or computer. This means that when it is time for you to animate, there will be less guesswork involved because everything has already been planned out in detail!

Why All Animators Should Practice Animation Sketching

Animation sketching is one of the most important tools that animators can use to improve their work. It's also a great way for beginners to practice their skills before they get started on their own projects. Animation sketching allows you to explore ideas quickly and easily without having to spend too much time on them--making it perfect for when inspiration strikes!

For more information about production reels, as well as answers to any other questions you might have, be sure to follow our blogs, check out our free masterclass, and our Animation Business Accelerator Program, download a copy of our free marketing handbook, and check out our blog on “How to Start an Animation Studio”!

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